This invention relates to a method and apparatus for separating particulate material from hot gas, commonly known as a cyclone separator. In addition, the invention relates to a device for accelerating the rate of flow of particulate material into a cyclone separator unit of such apparatus whereby the separation is improved. In particular, the apparatus of the present invention is useful in fluidized processes in general and more specifically in fluidized bed processes for regenerating spent catalyst.
In a broad sense, the apparatus of the invention is utilizable in a wide variety of industrial uses where particulate material is to be separated from gas. The basic problem is of long standing and dates back at least to the early years of the century when U.S. Pat. No. 1,333,325 issued Mar. 9, 1920 disclosed a gas cleaning apparatus utilizing the concept of introducing the particle laden gas into a gas distributing chamber surrounding a collecting chamber, and providing a plurality of separator pipes connecting the distributing chamber to the collecting chamber and means for imparting a whirling motion to gases entering the separator pipes to thereby separate the gases into a central core of cleaned gases and a peripheral layer of impurity laden gases.
As the years have passed separation techniques have become more and more sophisticated. U.S. Pat. 2,583,921 issued Jan. 29, 1952, directed specifically to the problem of separating fly ash from the gaseous products of combustion of pulverulent fuel, introduced the concept of utilizing a battery of radially disposed horizontal cyclone separators in a structure comprising an upper mixing chamber, a central separating chamber and a bottom fly-ash-receiving chamber.
With increasing demand to eliminate air pollution, accompanied by stringent antipollution laws, and with the need for maximum conservation of energy, there has been a continuing effort to seek out means of improving the design of cyclone separators. The problem is frequently complicated by the presence of substantial temperature differentials existing in various parts of the structure, a need to avoid problems of material fatigue, and avoidance of any clogging up of particulate material.